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We all have things lying around at home on top of cupboards, in shoe boxes, in our lofts and basements that we just have no use for. You will also find that these things still have their use; just not to you anymore. This is where Healthy Planet can help.

What is Stuff for Free?

Toys ready to be given away!

Stuff for Free is an innovative project, which takes on the concept of reusing.This initiative is carried out in a series of community reuse events, which allow members of the community to do their part in helping to reduce the amount of waste which is unnecessarily filling up landfills. It is incredibly simple to get involved and here’s how it works: there are two separate events. One is the Give Weekend, where community members can trawl through their unwanted items and give them to a large team of volunteers, who sort it all into manageable piles.

Then there is the Take Weekend, where anyone can come in and take things for free. You can bring just about anything: sports equipment, books, toys, furniture, clothing, electricals, kitchen gadgets and bric-a-brac. This isn’t just a great way to get rid of things or pick up a new necklace or toaster; it is so much more than that. You are actively saving resources and getting rid of items responsibly.

Sharing and Collaborative Consumption

Stuff for Free is a way to share our resources

This idea of sharing resources is the future and may be the way forward for us as a global community. There are also many other examples beginning to use this system of sharing; for example Storemates.co.uk is a way to use any spare space in people’s homes for storage, saving you money compared to commercial storage units. This also benefits both parties as it saves money for the person seeking storage and the people with unused space make a little extra.

This sharing phenomenon is definitely catching on and people are finding new ways to take part, from clothes swaps to car shares and even renting clothing at a fraction of the RRP. Zipcar is a great example of an efficient way to save money and time by sharing your car, whilst helping the environment; according to their own statistics, every car shared takes 20 off the road, which cuts a huge amount of our CO2 emissions.

“Zipcar produced a report on The Business of Sharing in the UK which reveals that this new pay-as-you-live lifestyle is changing the retail paradigm, and estimates the market in the UK at £22.4 billion.” This idea of collaborative consumption and sharing is at the core of the Stuff for Free initiative.

All the items organised and ready to be taken away

So how can you get involved?

There is another Stuff for Free event coming up next month and it will be a great way to help your planet and your community, by saving unnecessary item disposal. On the Give Weekend, it is a chance for you to clear out your unwanted clutter and give it away so your stuff can find a new home.

On the Take Weekend, you will be able to come in and take stuff, for free! So you can walk away with an item you fall in love with without spending a penny.

It is a family friendly event with a festival like atmosphere that the whole family can enjoy, with stalls to explore and a children’s play area. At previous events people have walked away with all sorts of things from bric-a-brac to televisions and furniture in good condition. So why not come along, or invite a friend you know would love to be a part of this? It’ll be a fun experience and everybody wins!

If you want to get involved beyond giving in your stuff and want to be hands on about helping the cause, you can also apply to become a volunteer on either weekend. There are many different roles you can apply for, depending on your preferences and interests.

People who share are organising the the Greatest Share on Earth where they will set a world record for the maximum number of people sharing in a single hour. Share a meal, share time, share knowledge, skills, swap, exchange, reuse… the choice is yours.

For more information on how to get involved check out the links below!